7/10/12 INCH SINGLES

45 AND 331/3 R.P.M. SINGLES/EXTENDED SINGLES

Our first introduction of the Jimi Hendrix Experience was via the 7" vinyl disc, from Hey Joe on Polydor Records in 1966 through to much more recent 7" releases from Sundazed and Sony Legacy. These releases span six decades and the format looks like its never going away as Experience Hendrix appear to both enjoy this format as promotion of fuller titles and along with Sony Legacy, support Record Store Day [global and US centric]. Included here with these 7" singles and EP's are the numerous 12" singles [even the 331/3], box set singles and a few bootleg singles, basically as many as I can detail or get details of. As always these pressings show up with some quirks. Some simply having a different colour label, as in Track records white and black Purple Haze or more obscure with that same title, some pressings are mastered slightly differently though the difference here is often confused with it being a different mix!

The contract Track Records had with Jimi Hendrix had lapsed nearing the end of 1970 and though we had both single and album releases in 1971 on the Track label, Polydor took over the releases after this year.

* Note that with Polydor releases some stamper detail is expressed as:
> = an upside down triangle in all stamped matrix detail for the Track Records and Polydor Records pressings while V is expressed as such.
% = a diamond

HEY JOE B/W STONE FREE POLYDOR 56139

RELEASED 16TH DECEMBER 1966

THIS IS THE 1ST PRESSING WITH THE FULL "JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE" CREDIT ON THE LABEL

This Reprise Records 45rpm has caused some confusion down the years, now we know that all of the content from Electric Ladyland is in fact simply a fold down of the stereo mix. The exception of course is the “Burning of the Midnight Lamp”, which has a dedicated mono mix found originally on Track Records, 604007.

Stated as a re release and appearing in mono and stereo formats it seems, this re release of

“All Along the Watchtower” has a date of issue as 1983(?) or more often the release date is omitted altogether adding to the confusion. We have four know pressings of this 45 it seems. Three copies with the usual early tan colour label and the later [1983(?)] yellow, blue, green Reprise label. From The Benjamin Franklin Studios, 4th edition. Part 4: A selected official discography [Geldeart / Rodham], we have three pictures showing the two variation labels and detailing the differences. Here we have a subtle difference in that the matrix detail differs to those listed in that publication. The publication offers up a suffix after the L-5424 / L-5442 on the mono pressing with W1#1 on both sides. The copy here clearly does not have this. This copy differs as it was pressed for jukebox use. This is the only copy I have seen and dates from 1973. The images shown in FTBFS Vol4 also show one of the early tan labels with the W [Warner] logo next to the Made In The USA text. Again, this is not on the copy listed first.

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER B/W CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC REPRISE GRE 0742 MONO BACK TO BACK HITS

A: REP-0742-L-5424

B: REP-0742-L-5442

HAND ETCHED

The stereo version which looks near identical to this mono copy has the following matrix:

A: L-5424-1B T111

B: L-5442-1C T11

While the later(?) three colour Reprise label mono has a repeat of what is included in one of the earlier mono pressings:

Polydor Records endless re issuing of Hendrix singles from around the globe is legend, be they stand alone, attached with albums, box sets and to confuse matters as mono where the original issue had been stereo or even as fold down from stereo! Also factor in the various size disc and picture sleeves and we have a wealth of releases to catalogue.

This then will be the start!

This release appears as both a 7" and 12" release:

CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC B/W VOODOO CHILE (SR) POLYDOR PO 71 873854-7

7" PICTURE SLEEVE, RELEASE UNKNOWN

A: PO 71 A-3U-1-Q2

B: PO 71 B-3U-1-Q1

ALL RIGHTS ETC TYPE IS MACHINE STAMPED AROUND LABEL IN THE LAST OF THE DEAD WAX AREA.

In 1979 / 1980, after Track Records folded Polydor took over the Hendrix licence. That led to "Polydor Int. GmbH [Hamburg]" appearing on Hendrix titles be they Polydor, Polydor utilising the Track Records label and / or records presented on alternate labels. Old Gold 45's began to appear in the UK [pressed in the UK and licenced from Polydor Int. GmbH ] in the 1980's. There was a run of four pressings and they all appear to utilise two different label / sleeve designs.

Barclay Records also brought us a set of 12 singles with the generic title of the Jimi Hendrix Story, Vol. 1 - 12

BARCLAY THE JIMI HENDRIX STORY

THIS SET WAS RELEASED IN THE EARLY 1970’S AND HAS THREE DISTINCT TYPE OF LABEL THOUGH THE COVER PICTURES REMAIN THE SAME PER RELEASE. DARK BROWN [DB] LABEL, STANDARD CREAM/ ORANGE [C/O] LABEL AND AN ORANGE [O]. THE BROWN LABEL APPEARS TO BE A LATER RE ISSUE AS IT CARRIES A SIMILAR MACHINE PRESSED STATEMENT AROUND THE INNER DEAD WAX AREA AS THAT FOUND ON THE POLYGRAM BOX SET WHICH WAS PRESSED IN FRANCE, EITHER THE VERY LATE 1970’S OR 1980 – 1981. UNLESS STATED, THE DEAD WAX MATRIX DETAIL REMAINS THE SAME PER RECORD REGARDLESS OF EARLY OR LATE ISSUE.

RELEASED 1982 FROM THE CONCERTS ALBUM. WITH FIRE MIXED / MASTERED TO MONO FOR DJ. THIS PROMO CARRIES A COLOUR LABEL. THIS IS POSSIBLY THE ONLY PLACE TO FIND THE OFFICIAL MONO VERSION OF THIS RECORDING.

WHITE LABEL, 1972. STEREO SIDE A, MONO SIDE B. This clearly shows that the mono side was for DJ / Radio air play. Shows (PCA 0805) S and (PCA 0805) on the label. States From the Reprise album MS 2049 Hendrix In The West. The only place to find this in mono from official source.